eering when the collision
occurred. He told me he could qualify as a pilot."

"Hum," remarked Mr. Weatherby. "I think it will be a good plan to
question Bumstead."

"He's in his bunk."

"Then we'll go there. Come, Nat."

The rascally mate started when he saw the boy, and his face, that was
flushed with a slight fever, grew pale.

"Well, you've caught me, I see," he fairly snarled. "But luck is
against me."

"Yes, we've caught you in more ways than one," said the pilot.

"How do you mean?"

"I mean that you gave the wrong signals last night, either
intentionally or through ignorance, and that you caused this
collision."

"Who says so?"

"Half a dozen witnesses. Members of your own crew, for that matter."

"My own crew?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe it."

"It is true, nevertheless."

"Name the men," growled Bumstead. He was suffering considerably, yet
he still had some fight in him.

For reply two of the deckhands were called in, and each, after much
urging, told his story in detail.

"That ain't true," growled the mate, but his voice sounded weak and
uncertain.

"It is true," cried one of the men. Bumstead had treated him roughly
the day previous, and he was glad of a chance to "square accounts."

"So it is--every word," put in the second deckhand who had been
summoned.

"You are all against me," muttered the mate. "It's a plot, I reckon."

"No plot at all," cried Captain Turton. "We are simply bound to get at
the bottom of this affair."

To this Joseph Bumstead made no reply.

"I'd like to know why you told me that you could qualify as a pilot,"
put in Captain Carter, and his voice had anything but a pleasant ring
to it.

"I can qualify."

"I don't believe it."

"He is no pilot, and never was," said Nat. "He has done very little
steering."

"You don't know what I've done," growled the mate.

"Yes, I do know!" exclaimed the boy quickly. "I know a good bit more
than you think I do."

"Ha! What do you mean by that?"

"You'll find out later. We'll settle one question at a time."

"See here, Bumstead, you might as well own up that you were
responsible," said Mr. Weatherby. "If you try to stick it out you'll
only make matters worse. To my way of thinking, you ran into us on
purpose."

"No! no! I--I----" The mate hesitated, not knowing how to proceed.

"Come, out with it."

"Well--er--if you must know the truth, I--er--I got confused."

"Confused!" roared Captain Carter.

"Ye-